Akonnor backs Gor Mahia to beat Pyramids in CAF Champions League

Gor Mahia coach Charles Akonnor believes the Kenyan champions can overcome Pyramids FC in the 2026 CAF Champions League first preliminary round. The opening leg is scheduled for the weekend of September 4-5 in Kenya, with the return match to follow in Egypt.

Akonnor accepts that Pyramids possess greater resources and arrive from a stronger football environment, but he does not see that difference as decisive. The Ghanaian coach said Gor Mahia must perform properly at home and then find a way to compete in the second leg.

The draw was not what Akonnor had anticipated. He expected Gor Mahia to face a team from the region before moving deeper into the competition, but the Kenyan champions will instead begin against one of Egypt’s leading clubs.

The tie presents a major test for Gor Mahia, who qualified as Football Kenya Federation Premier League champions. The club also carries the history of winning the 1987 Africa Cup Winners Cup, a success that remains its most significant continental achievement.

Recent meetings with Egyptian opposition provide a difficult backdrop. Gor Mahia have played Egyptian clubs 12 times, recording two victories, three draws and seven defeats. Both wins came against Zamalek, making Pyramids the latest Egyptian challenge to confront the Nairobi side.

Gor Mahia defeated Zamalek 1-0 in the first leg of a former CAF Cup tie in Nairobi before suffering a 4-0 loss in Egypt. Their other victory came in a 2019 Confederations Cup group match at Nyayo Stadium, where Dennis Oliech scored twice in a 4-2 win.

Akonnor’s message gives Gor Mahia a clear target for the home fixture: produce a strong first-leg performance and take an advantage to Egypt. Pyramids will be favoured by the historical record and the clubs’ contrasting continental profiles, but the Gor Mahia coach believes disciplined execution can give his side a chance.